ACHIEVING 75% RECYCLING
Building a Sustainable Solid Waste Program
Benefits of a Sustainable Solid
Waste Management Program
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Reduce solid waste system costs
Create green jobs
Promote economic development
Increase recycling
Generate renewable energy
Increase landfill diversion
Maximize beneficial reuse of valuable commodities
Provide redevelopment opportunities for brownfield sites
Decrease carbon footprint
Reduce potential contributors to pollution
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Florida House Bill 7242 and
Alachua County Comprehensive Plan
Established 75% Recycling Goal by 2020
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Sustainable Solid Waste Program
Timeline
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Waste Composition
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Sustainable Program Flowchart
Source
Separated
Materials
Mixed MSW
Resource
Recovery
Park
Material
Recovery
Facility
Organic
Recycling
Facility
GRU
Sludge
Landfill
Green Products
Green Jobs
Green Energy
Soil Amendment
Green Jobs
75%
Recycling
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Mixed Waste Materials Recovery
Facility Feasibility Study
 Evaluated 3 conceptual approaches
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(lowest to highest level of
mechanization)
Processes all solid waste received –
important for flow control
Compared recycling rates, capital
costs, operating costs
FDEP permit discussions (Nov. 4,
2010): all three options would meet
MRF permitting criteria
Conclusions and recommendations
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Sustainable Program Timeline
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Sustainable Program Flowchart
Source
Separated
Materials
Resource
Recovery
Park
Mixed MSW
Material
Recovery
Facility
Organic
Recycling
Facility
GRU
Sludge
Landfill
Green Products
Green Jobs
Green Energy
Soil Amendment
Green Jobs
75%
Recycling
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Organics Recycling Facility
Feasibility Study
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Reviewed current technologies & costs
Prepared conceptual approach
Prepared conceptual site plan
Evaluated permitting mechanisms
Identified benefits & issues
Conclusions:
Technically feasible
Permittable
Reduces greenhouse gases
Generates renewable energy
Significantly increases recycling
rates
 Generates net positive revenue
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Organics Recycling Technologies
Aerobic Composting Facilities
Advantages
 Greenhouse gas reduction
 Simple operations
 Beneficial reuse of materials
 Stabilized material output
Issues
 Odors
 Feedstock composition requirements
 Moisture control
 Limited markets for compost
 No renewable energy production
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Organics Recycling Technologies
Conventional Anaerobic Digestion Facilities
Advantages
 Greenhouse gas reduction
 Renewable energy source
 Accelerated processing period
 Generates revenue
Issues
 Significant capital and operational costs
 Complicated operations and pre-processing requirements
 Inflexible to waste stream variations
 Bacteria are fluid and temperature dependent
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Organics Recycling Facility
Biomodule Concept
Organic Recycling Biomodule (ORB)
Combination of anaerobic & aerobic
composting in innovative module:
 Able to process wide variety of
organics found in waste stream &
sewage sludge
 Recirculation of liquids
 Geomembrane vessel
 Biogas collection piping
 Odor control
 Stormwater management control
 Low level of pre-processing
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Organics Recycling Facility
Sustainable Process Flow & Time
Module
Construction
Filling and
Covering
Anaerobic
Digestion
Module
Reuse
Staging
and Curing
Material
Mining
Enhanced
Aerobic
Decomposition
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Organics Recycling Facility
Biomodule Process Sequencing
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Organics Recycling Facility
Site Layout
Conceptual plan
 Feasibility study based on this
location Southwest Landfill
property
 Each biomodule approximately 1
acre (sized to accept one year’s
organics)
 Dedicated organics handling area
for pre-processing
 Organics covered during filling
stage
 Perimeter road & stormwater
runoff
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Biosolids Recycling
Biosolids Processing Advantages
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Renewable energy opportunities
 Increases energy production
Assists in creating nutrient-rich compost
As solid waste it counts as recycling
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Organics Recycling Facility
Renewable Energy Generation
Energy to power
380 homes
annually
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Organics Recycling Economics
MSW Only
Assumptions
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87 TPD
25 year project life
$36 per ton tipping fee (including administrative fee)
$.07 per Kwh buyback
15% total cost contingency
Total Capital Costs = $7 million
Net Project Revenues = $4.6 million Net Present Value
Return on Investment = 22%
Economics improve with inclusion of additional materials such
as biosolids
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Organics Recycling Economics
MSW Only
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Sustainable Program Timeline
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Sustainable Program Flowchart
Source
Separated
Materials
Resource
Recovery
Park
Mixed MSW
Material
Recovery
Facility
Organic
Recycling
Facility
GRU
Sludge
Landfill
Green Products
Green Jobs
Green Energy
Soil Amendment
Green Jobs
75%
Recycling
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Resource Recovery Park
Resource Recovery Park elements
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Co-location of diversion, reuse and recycling facilities
Processing, manufacturing and/or retail sales
Shared equipment and services
Lease space to small businesses and non-profits
Research and development of demonstration projects
Incubate innovations
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Resource Recovery Park
Resource Recovery Park benefits
 Reduces flow of discarded waste to landfill, prolonging
landfill life
 Promotes economic development by keeping dollars at
home through local jobs & businesses
 Reduces greenhouse gases
 Reduces energy use
 Reduces water use
 Reduces resource use
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Resource Recovery Park
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Sustainable Program Timeline
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Sustainable Solid Waste Program
Partnering Opportunities
Potential Partners
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City of Gainesville
University of Florida
Gainesville Regional Utilities
City of Archer
Alachua County Public Schools
Non-profit organizations
Private industry
Gainesville Regional Airport Authority
Institutions
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Benefits of a Sustainable Solid
Waste Management Program
 Complies with requirements of both State legislation & County
Comprehensive Plan
 Reduces solid waste system costs
 Enhances economic development
 Potential to create 100+ green jobs
 Generates renewable, sustainable energy
 Reduces greenhouse gases
 Creates beneficial secondary uses for materials that would
otherwise be landfilled
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Building a Sustainable Solid Waste
Management Program
Recommendation
 Receive presentation from staff
 Endorse sustainable solid waste management program including
materials recovery facility, organics recycling facility and flow
control
Next Steps
At Dec. 14 BCC meeting, County staff will be requesting
specific authorization to begin design and permitting process for
materials recovery facility and organics recycling facility
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ACHIEVING 75% RECYCLING
Building a Sustainable Solid Waste Program